Yesterday was the first opportunity I took to dig into the car and
start my triage list for maintenance. On top of discovering what an
added p.i.a. removing the panel below the engine is, I also
discovered an oil leak, and that one of the crankcase ventilation
hoses is broken. For now, I think I'm going to first do the vent
line as it being broken nicely opens up the engine innards to the
unfiltered atmosphere.
The crankcase vent hose that broke happens to be the bigger, more
expensive one. Looks like previous owner/his hired wrenches broke
the thing right were it goes from that rectangular section at the
front of the engine to the top of the passenger side valve cover.
For the time being, I was able to patch it together with duct tape
(yep duct tape). I figure that's a decent temporary fix, but alas
will not stand up well to heat. My guess is somebody was being a bit
hamfisted removing spark plug lines.
Sent something to SJM, and got a price quote of $75 for the part.
Short of custom making the entire thing out of sections of rubber
hose and metal elbows, anybody come up with an alternate way to fix
that way to brittle piping?
Derek P